We spend a lot of time indoors. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approximated being inside comprises 90% of our days. Having said that, the EPA also says your indoor air can be three to five times dirtier than outside.
That’s because our residences are firmly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy expenses, it’s not so good if you’re a part of the 40% of the population with respiratory allergies.
When outdoor ventilation is restricted, pollutants including dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) might get trapped. Consequently, these pollutants might irritate your allergies.
You can improve your indoor air quality with crisp air and usual cleaning and vacuuming. But if you’re still having problems with symptoms when you’re at your residence, an air purifier could be able to provide relief.
While it can’t get rid of pollutants that have settled on your furniture or carpet, it might help freshen the air circulating around your residence.
And air purification has also been scientifically confirmed to help reduce some allergic symptoms, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It could also be useful if you or a loved one has lung trouble, including emphysema or COPD.
There are two kinds, a portable air purifier or a whole-home air purifier. We’ll discuss the differences so you can determine what’s right for your home.
Whole-House Air Purifier vs. Portable Air Purifiers
A portable air purifier is for one room. A whole-house air purifier works with your home comfort unit to clean your complete home. Some models can purify by themselves when your home comfort system isn’t running.
What’s the Best Air Purifier for Allergies?
Go after a purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. HEPA filters are installed in hospitals and deliver the most comprehensive filtration you can find, as they remove 99.97% of particles in the air.
HEPA filters are even more effective when combined with an ultraviolet (UV) germicidal light. This powerful mixture can destroy dust, dander, pollen and mold, all of which are common allergens. For the ultimate in air purification, think over a system that also has a carbon-based filter to eliminate household odors.
Avoid buying an air purifier that generates ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. The EPA warns ozone might irritate respiratory troubles, even when discharged at small amounts.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has created a list of questions to think over when purchasing an air purifier.
- What can this purifier take out from the air? What doesn’t it extract?
- What’s its clean air delivery rate? (A bigger figure means air will be cleaned faster.)
- How often does the filter or UV bulb need to be switched? Can I finish that without help?
- How much do new filters or bulbs cost?
How to Decrease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Want to get the most excellent outcome from your new air purification system? The Mayo Clinic advises taking other measures to reduce your exposure to seasonal allergy triggers.
- Stay in your home and keep windows and doors shut when pollen counts are high.
- Have other household members cut the lawn or pull weeds, since these tasks can aggravate symptoms. If you have to do this work on your own, you may want to consider trying a pollen mask. You should also shower immediately and change your clothes once you’re finished.
- Avoid drying laundry outside your home.
- Run the AC while at your house or while you’re on the road. Consider adding a high-efficiency air filter in your home’s heating and cooling system.
- Equalize your residence’s humidity levels with a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Hardwood, tile or linoleum are the best flooring kinds for reducing indoor allergens. If your house has carpet, use a HEPA filter on your vacuum cleaner.
Let Our Professionals Take Care of Your Indoor Air Quality Requirements
Prepared to move forward with installing a whole-house air purifier? Give our specialists a call at 760-784-9034 or contact us online to get an appointment. We’ll help you locate the ideal system for your needs and budget.